7 Best Beaches in Crete: Picking the Perfect Cretan Beaches for Your Vacation

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Do you want to relax? Be catered to? Be surrounded by nature? Lie on a beach chair with a cocktail? Scale a cliff to get to a secret location? Be able to cross the street from your villa for your own beach picnic? Or perhaps you prefer a little bit of everything?

No matter your travel style, we rounded up the best Cretan beaches (which are some of the best beaches anywhere in the Balkans), along with descriptions of how you get there and what it’s like once you’ve arrived, so you can determine which are right for you and truly enjoy the time you have in Crete.

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Best Beaches in Crete

Balos Lagoon

Editor’s Choice

WHY IT’s AWESOME: One of the most spectacular beaches in Crete can be found off the western side of the island, about 60 kilometers’ drive from Chania. You can also travel by sea from Kissamos port, which includes the small island of Gramvousa on its way to Balos Beach.

Balos Beach in Crete is a place where the specific tides of the beach form a lagoon with incredibly shallow (and therefore warm!) waters and an incredibly brilliant turquoise shade of blue everywhere.

Similar to Elafonissi Beach, the beloved “pink beach” of Crete, the sand in Balos is a tiny bit pinkish as well due to the abundance of broken up shells. The way the water flows at different tides create sandbars where you can walk up to a tiny sometimes-island

HOW TO GET THERE: Balos can be quite difficult to get to, as the best way in is by boat. We recommend this excursion from Chania and nearby towns, which includes the transfer but there’s also an additional charge for a boat ticket so read the fine print.

Elafonisi Beach

WHY IT’S AWESOME: Elafonisi Beach, more popularly referred to as “The Pink Beach” is definitely my favorite beach in all of Crete. We spent about a week exploring the island and Elafonisi was by far the highlight. At first, the sand doesn’t really look that pink, but the closer you get to the water (which is crystal clear, by the way!) the pinker the sand appeared. I flew my drone over the beach to get a birds-eye view, and that’s when I really saw how pink the sand really was.

While popular, it’s a massive beach and is always quite empty, so don’t worry about competing with crowds of tourists. There are a cute bar and restaurant on the drive down to the beach which is a great spot to grab lunch and enjoy the panoramic view from the outdoor deck. You can see more of my recommendations for Crete activities on my blog.

If you prefer a more off-the-beaten-path approach to visiting Elafonisi, you can book this private Elafonisi experience which shows you Elafonisi with some unexpected stops along the way, led by a Crete local. Book here.

Marithi Beach and Loutraki Cove

WHY IT’S AWESOME: Western Crete has some of the most beautiful beaches on the island and two of them (if your base is in Chania) are easily accessible via car and within two minutes of each other. Marithi Beach is 16 km from Chania, Crete, in the southeastern part of the peninsula of Akrotiri. The waters are pristine and because of its proximity to the city, the beach is extremely popular with locals and tourists smart enough to rent a car to explore the hidden coves that are usually only frequented by Cretans. With two excellent restaurants and an abundance of water sports, you’ll find no shortage of things to do.

A two-minute drive from Marathi Beach is another small cove named, Loutraki. Crystal clear waters and there is camping if you’re feeling adventurous. There are no facilities but Marathì is close so it shouldn’t be an issue. If you’re a scuba diver bring your gear! There is an island (Marithì or Paleosouda) you can swim to that is extremely popular with those ‘in the know.’ Explore the western region of the island which is considered the more lush side of Crete, an island that is so diverse that even the natives haven’t seen some of the places mentioned.

HOW TO GET THERE: These beaches are best accessed by car, but a taxi from Chania would be an affordable alternative if you don’t have your own set of wheels.

Matala Beach

WHY IT’S AWESOME: Matala is a tiny beach town on the south coast of the Greek island of Crete. It takes around 3 hours from the more popular resort side of the island (the North near Heraklion and Hersonissos) to drive there. The drive itself is beautiful and takes you through mountains, past wine country and the lesser visited Minoan Historical site of Phaistos. Once you reach Matala you can park your car and leave it for the rest of your visit, as the town is essentially pedestrian only! You can walk to Matala main beach after a delicious fresh seafood lunch and view and explore Matala’s main attraction: the Roman Burial Caves. These are cut into the impressive sandstone cliff which makes this beach more like a calm, sheltered bay.

If you stay in Matala you can enjoy market style shopping and then the many alfresco bars and restaurants with sea views that night and the next day walk over the cliff 1km to the Red Beach, which is clothing optional and of course, boasts beautiful red sand. We can vouch that Matala is unmissable after ending up buying toothbrushes and staying 3 nights when we had only intended to visit for an afternoon! You can read even more about this paradise on Earth at our blog.

HOW TO GET HERE: Again, a rental car would be ideal here, but KTEL has a twice daily bus between Heraklion and Matala that you can take if you don’t want to drive.

Plakias Beach

WHY IT’S AWESOME: Plakias in the south of Crete is a little out of the way, but definitely worth the effort. Plakias is surrounded by mountains (full of delicious mountain tavernas) and off of the major tourist roads, making it a quiet escape from the crowded Greek resort towns in high season.

Though it is still somewhat of a hidden gem, Plakias has seen rapid growth in recent years, which is no surprise when you see its rugged mountainous coastline and golden sand beaches. According to a 1961 census, Plakias was home to just 6 fishermen, and it’s now a charming beach town full of cafes, waterfront tavernas, and even a nude beach.

While the mountain road to Plakias may be treacherous for inexperienced drivers, it is easily accessible by bus from either of Crete’s major airports, Chania or Heraklion, with a quick stopover in Rethymnon. Great food and sparsely populated clothing optional beaches aren’t Plakias’ only claim to fame. Travelers on a budget will be excited to know that this town is also home to the Southernmost hostel in Europe, Youth Hostel Plakias, a charming hostel tucked away in an olive grove just a short walk to the beach and the main street.

HOW TO GET HERE: Rent a car, or take a bus from either Chania or Heraklion to Rethymnon and transfer there to a bus to Plakias.

Seitan Limania Beach (Stefanou Beach)

WHY WE LOVE IT: Seitan Limania (Stefanou Beach) is a beautiful Cretan Beach located in the Chania region of the island. It’s close to the airport and easily accessible if you have a rental car. If you do decide to drive to Stefanou Beach, just be forewarned that the drive down is very narrow, steep, and all zigzags. However, once you are there you will be rewarded with an amazing day at the beach.

The beach is fairly isolated in relation to other Cretan beaches. It’s small and when we were there it was full of young people. The ocean is incredible to swim in. There’s nothing like the warm Mediterranean waters of Greece. I would also advise bringing some snacks and drinks as there is nothing around in terms of food. (Read more about our epic adventures in Crete here).

HOW TO GET HERE: By your own rental car (be careful on the zizags) or by taxi, which cost us about 35 euros from Chania. There may be public buses from Chania in the high season, but I haven’t been able to find any confirmation on this.

Vai Beach

WHY IT’S AWESOME: Located in Northeastern Crete near the towns of Sitia, Palekastro, and the Dionysades Islands, Vai Beach is one of the most popular attractions of Crete. You could also rent a car or motorbike to make it to the beach. No matter what, you should plan two days to visit the area as it is remote and there is much to explore such as an ancient monastery, winery, and ancient ruins.

The beach is home to Europe’s largest palm forest and is a protected area. There is a restaurant and a café on the beach should hunger strike. If relaxing on the beach au naturale is more your style, a nude beach is a short hike away. If you go during high season (June to August), be prepared for massive crowds. Nevertheless, the beach is stunning, the palm forest is beautifully unique, the sea is a gorgeous turquoise and excellent for summer photos. Vai Beach will make a great addition to your Crete vacation!

HOW TO GET THERE: Go by car, or take a bus from Heraklion to Sitia and then another bus from Sitia to Vai.

Whichever Beach is Closest!

The beach near our villa outside Chania. Not a fancy “destination” beach, but a perfect one for a picnic with friends.

One of the great things about Crete is that no matter where you are, you’re never too far from a beach! When we were staying outside of Chania, we walked about a block to hang out on the local neighborhood beach. While we loved days when we adventured out to some of the more famous and spectacular beaches, we also loved being able to relax within a ten-minute walk from our villa. This is a great way to maximize relaxation time while also setting out to see some of the island’s more famous shores.

Planning a Trip to Crete? Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!

Make sure you always travel to Crete with a valid travel insurance policy. Travel here includes outdoor activities and travel to highly touristed sites. You need to be covered in case you have an accident or fall victim to theft. Travel insurance will help you recover your expenses and continue to enjoy your trip.

For travel insurance, I use World Nomads.I’ve been a happy customer of theirs for almost three years, and I’ve never had an issue when making a claim. I’m happy to refer them to anyone I meet.

Planning a Cretan Beach Vacation? Have You Been to any of the Best Beaches in Crete? Share your questions and tips below!

Pin this Guide for Your Own Cretan Beach Adventure

Stephanie has been living in and traveling around the Balkans for the past three years. She’s written for National Geographic Online, appeared on CNN Arabic and in the New York Times, and ridden more Balkan buses than is good for a person.

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Welcome to Sofia Adventures! We're Stephanie and Allison, two American travel bloggers who moved to Bulgaria. We use Sofia as our base to discover our favorite region in the world - the Balkans! We're here to share our knowledge from our past 3+ years of traveling the Balkans and inspire you to plan a trip to this beautiful part of the world.

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